Last Saturday was a day I had been looking forward to for a while. MMA fighting organization EliteXC joined forces with CBS to produce the first ever network mixed martial arts broadcast. The event was headlined by internet fighting sensation Kimbo Slice, taking on James Thompson.
Right from the start, I knew this was going to be a bit different MMA event that I was used to. Everything was over-the-top, from fireworks going off during fighters entrances to cheerleaders dancing on the ramp leading to the cage. It seemed to take forever before the first fight got underway.
As for the fights themselves, the first two were pretty crummy IMO. It wasn’t until the third fight, Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young, that I felt like I was watching a good MMA event. This is the first time I have seen female MMA fighters, and I must say, I was extremely impressed. Despite the Dr. stoppage at the end of the 2nd round, this was the best fight of the night so far.
The next match, Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith, had the makings for a classic fight, but it too was ended prematurely. An accidental eye poke ended this fight midway through the 3rd round, resulting in a no contest (a fight must go three full rounds before you can go to the score cards for a winner).
The main event is what everyone (myself included) was waiting for. I totally expected Kimbo to dominate and end the fight quickly (both of his previous fights ended in less than a minute), but that was not the case. Thompson took Kimbo to the ground where things got interesting. Kimbo’s ground defense was clearly lacking, but Thompson seemed too tired from the top position to enforce much damage.
By the 3rd round, both fighters were pretty tired, especially Kimbo. The fight ended with a controversial ref stoppage midway through the 3rd. Thompson came into the fight with a HUGE (golf ball size) spot on his ear (cauliflower ear, when the cartilage in your ear breaks over and over again). Kimbo landed a nice punch directly to the ear, which instantly started pouring blood. After a few more good head shots, the ref stepped in.
A lot of people are saying the stoppage was too early, and I somewhat agree. I think CBS got scared when they saw so much blood… but at the same time, Thompson was clearly dazed on his feet and I have little doubts that Kimbo would have earned the KO with only a few more direct hits.
Overall, while I enjoyed the free event for the simple fact it was free, MMA events would be better aired on cable television or something like HBO. This way, the network isn’t constantly bleeping language or pulling away to arena shots when something unexpected happens. Also, the glitz was not needed - no fireworks, cheerleaders, etc. There was also too much downtime between fights IMO.
Did any of you watch the fights Saturday night? Please chime in with your comments - I’d love to hear what others thought of the show.
